Much to their dismay, thousands of local students had to go to school Monday when most districts were closed for Presidents Day. They had to make up for the days they've already missed due to Superstorm Sandy and snowstorms.

At least five local districts — Eldred, Liberty, Monticello, Fallsburg and Ellenville — had a school day put back on the calender Monday, the result of emergency days already lost.

"There's only one federal holiday where you have the option of staying open," said Fallsburg Superintendent Ivan Katz, "and that's Presidents Day."

Fallsburg had budgeted six snow days for this school year. The district, in the snowy Catskills, already has used them all for Sandy and snow. So for a cushion of two more snow days, it reinstated school on two previously scheduled holidays — Presidents Day and the day before Thanksgiving.

It was essentially the same situation in Eldred, Ellenville, Monticello and Liberty — districts that have used all or most of their emergency days on Superstorm Sandy and snowstorms. They had classes Monday to add snow days to their school year.

"We wanted the day back because one never knows (about the weather ahead)," said Monticello Superintendent Daniel Teplesky.

Even if schools weren't open Monday, the days off for Sandy and snow have taken a toll. Many, if not most, districts are putting school days back on the calendar to have emergency days and the state-mandated 180 school days.

Pine Bush, which stretches from suburban Scotchtown to rural Walker Valley, budgeted three snow days and used four for Sandy and snowstorms. So school will be in session on two days when the district was supposed to be closed to students, March 24 and May 24.

In southern Orange, Warwick also used all of its five snow days because of Sandy. Because school was closed for the Feb. 8 snowstorm, schools will be open April 1 — originally scheduled as a spring-break day.

In Middletown, the district has used all of its five emergency days on Sandy and snow, so March 8, which had been scheduled as a day off for staff development, is now a school day.

In an example of the complexity of emergency closings and openings, Pine Bush Superintendent Phil Steinberg said union contracts play a role in determining which holidays to take back for extra snow days.

For instance, Pine Bush custodial and clerical workers would have had to be paid overtime if they had to work Monday, Steinberg said.

"Certain days are designated as union holidays," he said.

Fallsburg had fewer emergency days than it might have had because it takes two days as holidays during the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, Katz said.

For all those students who had to go to school Monday, the reasons didn't matter.

Fallsburg's Adam Dohenwend, 17, the student representative to the district's Board of Education, said that as a student of history and "a political junkie," he feels it's important schools honor the presidents by closing.